Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-11-18
Smart Old Farmer.

Darwin Davis, an OId-taSnloneu ana
wel-to do farmer of the neighboring
town of Norwich, tells the New York
Times of q recent interview with a
couple of atfabie strangers, as follows:
The other day man called at my
house and wanted to buy farm. He
said his name was Dr. Miles and that
he lived in Rutland, Vt, and that he
wanted the farm for his sister, rich
California widow. who wanted to settle
down with her children in this part
of the country. His sister, he said,
had pile of money, and he inquired
If the banks were souni around here.
| told him did not know much about
anv OF the banks except the old Nor
wich Bank, and considered that good
enough to keep money in. He said
nv farm had been recommended to
him as just the one he wanted, and he
had called To look at it. So the doctor
and started off up the road to look
over the farm. Pretty soon We were
overtaken by we'll dressed and glib
spoken young fellow in buggy, who
hailed us and inquired how tar 1t was
before The road turned to the left. 4
gave hi,a The iufo-matioa he wanted,
and he got out Of tn, buggy and came
up to US, and began talking about a
big advertising scheme he was work
ing among farmers for firm IN New
Orleans. He SAID he was from New
Orleans, and was nephew of General
Beauregard, but he didn't 60 into the
army because he wasn't big enough at
that time. Then he said If We had
time to spare he'd show us new game
of draw that was all the 60 down IN
New Orleans so he pulled out four
cards, three with black spots and one
with red spots. and he shutfled them
up and turned them over, face down
ward. The game was, he said, to pay
a quarter and draw. and if you drawed
the red card and showed five dollars,
then yos got five dollars. lie wanted
us to try it. just for the fun of the
thing, and see what our luck would be.
DIR Miles drawed and got the red card
first draw, and then | tried and got
the red card the same way. Beaure-
gard said We had extraordinary luck,
but he'd bet Us one thousand dollars
against five dollars in earnest that We
couldn't both Of US draw the red card
again the first time We tried 1t. DIR.
Miles took the bet and drawed, and
sure enough he got the red card, and
then | drawed and | got it, too. Beau
regard said he wouldn't play no more
draw with such lucky men as we were
he'd lost enough. But his firm al
WAYS told him to be honorable and do
just as agreed, and as he had lost one
thou and dollars he'd pay it, provided
that we could show that We were re-
sponsible and honorable and had one
thousand dollars to pay with in case We
lost that amount. Then he palled out
the one thousand dollars. DR.. Miles
sid he hadn't got so much money with
him and offered a check on the Rut-
land bank, but Beauregard said he
must show the cash. Then the doctor
proposed that should 60 to the Nor
NlCl Ua1h anu Sct ttiC oiC lhouSa"o
dollars and bring it there and show it,
and he would give me half the one
thousand dollars he had won. Abrut
this time | began to see niger in the
wood pile, and the more | thought
about it the bigger that darkey got to
be. SO | said to Beauregard j: Young
man, you might just as we'll put that
money back in your pocket, for | don't
want it. I've seen the elephant and |
know which end bis tail is on. With
that Beauregard got mad and jumped
into his buggy AMI rode away. DR..
Miles and | started back toward my
house, and on the way | told him that
[ thought Beauregard was trying to
play a confidence game on me, and that
he had hand in it. why, Davis, said
he, how can you think so? belong
to the Presbyterian Church up in
Rutland, and our minister don't allow
us to handle cards. Pretty soon DIR.
Miles went away, and that's the last
I've heard about his buying my farm"